Realization
by Patgar23
Summary: Naruto returns from a long mission and bumps into Hinata. Along the way, he realizes that he is starting to feel differently about her. With a little help, he begins to realize just how differently he sees her and how he really feels about her. (Post Land of Iron, Pre War).


How's it going everybody?! My name it Patgar23 and I'd like to thank you all for deciding to read my story! Just a short background on how I like to write, I love a lot of different of Anime and I like a lot of shippings in them. So I probably wont stick to one single ship unless someone requests that specific one or if I think of a good story that would fit that pair. For this specific story, I decided to do a nice one shot of Naruto and Hinata. Although, if I get enough reviewers asking me to do another chapter or two, I will definitely, strongly consider it. I hope you all like the story and thank you so much again for reading!

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters. Everything related to Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-** _ **san**_

 **Realization**

Naruto was taking a walk around the Leaf Village. It was still a little beat up from Pein's attack, but, for the most part, it was returning to how it used to be. He had just returned from a long mission with his team and wanted to see every everyone he hadn't seen for a while. His first stop after going through his debrief with his Hokage, Lady Tsunade, obviously, was his favorite ramen shop, Ichiraku. He had a couple bowls, OK ten bowls, and a nice time chatting with Teuchi and his daughter about his mission. He exaggerated a couple of details, but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them. Teuchi let Naruto go without paying the bill as a welcome back gift and he graciously accepted. After eating, he wandered around until he met up with some of his friends. So far, he had seen Shikamaru and Temari who said they were only together for business, but Naruto knew better. He had also run into Choji, Kiba and Akamaru, Ino, and Shino. While he was lost in thought about how nice it was to see them, he didn't notice a figure walk in front of him from around a corner. He bumped into them and accidentally knocked them over and causing them to drop their bag of groceries.

"Oh crap! I'm really sorry! I should have been paying more attention!" Naruto said, apologizing profusely and getting down on his knees to help pick up their groceries.

"No, it's OK! It's my fault too! I should have-oh! N-N-Naruto-Kun! I d-didn't realize it was you!"

The person Naruto had bumped into happened to be the Hyuuga Heiress, Hinata.

"Huh? Hinata? Hey, how's it going!? Sorry about bumping into you!"

"It's not your fault, Naruto-kun! I should have been looking where I was going!"

As they were picking up Hinata's goods, their hands briefly touched while they were reaching for the same item. Hinata's face immediately turned red. _"N-Naruto's hand!? I just touched his hand!"_ Hinata thought frantically.

Naruto moved his hand away and rubbed the back of his neck. "Heh heh, sorry about that, Hinata." He felt something strange inside him for a moment when he touched her hand, but pushed it to the back of his mind. He then noticed her face and looked at her confused.

"Hey, you feeling alright? Your face is kinda red." He asked, concerned.

Hinata perked up a little. "N-no no! I'm fine! Thank you for asking." She said slightly embarrassed.

Naruto stood up with her bag in one hand and offered his other to her. "Here, let me help you up."

Hinata blushed again. _"N-Naruto-kun's hand!? W-what do I do?! I don't want to seem rude by not accepting his help! B-but taking his hand!? Just touching it made me feel dizzy!"_ She thought to herself.

He saw that her face was red again and looked worried. "You sure you're OK? I can walk you home if you want."

Hinata smiled and was happy that he was being so nice to her. She took his hand without thinking and he helped her to her feet. Naruto felt that same feeling as before when his hand brushed up against her's and wondered what was wrong with him.

" _What's going on with me? Why do I get this feeling every time I touch her hand? Is it something medical? Maybe I should ask Sakura about it the next time I see her." He pondered._

He pushed it to the back of his mind again, he was starting to feel a little awkward. "Uhh, Hinata, you can let go of my hand now." Naruto said.

Hinata looked down and saw that she was still holding onto his hand tightly. "Ah! Sorry!" She said as she let go, albeit reluctantly.

"Anyway, I-I'm fine, really. Thank you, Naruto-Kun. I wouldn't want to waste your time by having you walk me home." She said embarrassed.

"It's no trouble! I just got back from a long mission and wanted to see everybody! So I don't mind at all!" He said with his trademark grin.

Hinata smiled and gave in, allowing him to accompany her. Naruto told her about his mission and she listened closely to every detail. She was happy just to be by his side. Even if it was just listening to him talk about missions. It didn't matter to her. While they were walking, They happened to run into Sakura.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! Have you been enjoying being back in the village?" Naruto asked enthusiastically.

"Ah, Naruto! Hinata! What's up? Yeah I've just been shopping around. I forgot how barren my refrigerator was before we left." She explained with a small giggle.

"It's good to see you, Sakura-san. I'm glad to see you're made it back safely." Hinata said to her friend.

"Thanks, Hinata! It's really good to be back! Say, where are you two going anyway?" She gave a sly grin, knowing how Hinata feels about Naruto. "Ehh? Naruto, are you on a date with Hinata?" She asked.

Steam could be seen erupting from Hinata's face at the mention of being on a date with Naruto. _"M-m-me and N-Naruto-kun on a d-date!?"_ She thought while trying not to faint.

Sakura noticed Hinata's reaction and tried her best to suppress a laugh. Naruto, meanwhile, decided to play along. "Maybe we are. Jealous?" He said folding his arms and grinning smugly.

This caused Hinata to let off even more steam. Although, Naruto again, didn't seem to notice.

Sakura spoke, "I'm heartbroken, but, I think I'll live." She said sarcastically.

Both Naruto and Sakura had a good chuckle, But Hinata was still reeling at the thought of being on a date with him.

"Anyway, I have to get going. I have a few things that need to stay frozen or else they'll go bad." Sakura said.

"Oh, hey, before you go, can I ask you something real quick? It's about some medical advice." Naruto mentioned, remembering he wanted to ask Sakura about that weird feeling he had.

"Hmm? Yeah sure. What is it?" She asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Umm...it's kind of a private thing. Hinata, can I talk to Sakura-chan for a minute alone?"

"Oh, of course, Naruto-kun! Take you time!"

Naruto smiled at her "Thanks!"

Naruto and Sakura walked behind a corner away and just out of earshot for Hinata to overhear. Hinata was somewhat relieved at the sudden break she had. She needed time to recover after what had just happened.

" _Phew. I thought I was going to faint for a minute. That would have been so embarrassing!"_ She thought while shaking her head.

She paused for a moment and then it registered. _"I hope Naruto-kun is OK. He said that it was for medical advice. I hope nothing's wrong."_ She worried.

Meanwhile, around the corner.

"So, what is it you wanted advice on?" Sakura asked her teammate. "Do you feel something's wrong with you?"

"Well...I don't know how to describe it exactly." He said.

Sakura seemed slightly annoyed. "You know, I can't help you if you don't at least TRY to explain it."

"Heh heh...right...sorry." He said rubbing the back of his head.

Sakura sighed. "So, let's try this again. What's wrong, Naruto?"

"I guess you could say that, I'm getting this...weird feeling in my stomach."

"Weird how?" She inquired.

"Like, it gets tight and I get this other weird feeling in my chest."

A vein popped up on Sakura's forehead? "Weird HOW?!" She asked impatiently.

"Well, it's not really painful, but it feels like it aches slightly."

"OK. That's a little better. And when did you start feeling this way, you never mentioned it during the mission, so I assume it's recent?

"It started maybe about fifteen minutes ago."

"Wh-that recent!? We literally got back to the village a few hours ago! How did it happen that fast?!"

"Well, there is one other thing. It only just started happening when I accidentally touched Hinata's hand while I was helping her pick up her groceries. And then again when I helped her up off the ground after accidentally knocking her over." He explained.

Sakura was silent. She looked at him as if he were a crazy person.

"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" He asked offended.

"...Naruto...this isn't something you need medical advice about." She said in a low monotone voice.

"It's not? You mean there's nothing wrong with me?" He asked a bit happily.

Sakura whacked him across the head. Naruto let out a yelp and bent down while holding a giant bump where he had been hit.

"OW! SAKURA-CHAN! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?!" he yelled accusingly.

"OF COURSE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU! YOU'RE AN IDIOT, THAT'S WHAT!" She yelled back.

"WHAT?! THAT'S COMPLETELY UNCALLED FOR! I CAME TO YOU ASKING FOR ADVICE BECAUSE I FELT SOMETHING WEIRD AND THOUGHT YOU COULD HELP!"

"Ugh. You are so oblivious, Naruto. Think about it. Why else would you feel that way only when you touch Hinata's hand?"

Naruto stood back up and put a finger to his chin while making a face Sakura could only guess was his thinking face. After a brief pause Naruto seemed to have come to a realization and struck his fist in his palm.

"Looks like he finally gets it." Sakura thought.

"Hinata must be sick and that's why I feel this way! Because I caught whatever she has when I touched her!" He said in a triumphant way.

 _'Whack'_

"OW! SAKURA-CHAN!? WHY'D YOU HIT ME AGAIN!?"

"BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE A CRIME FOR SOMEONE TO BE THIS STUPID!"

"I AM NOT STUPID!"

"YOU MUST BE IF YOU CAN'T REALIZE THAT YOU'RE ATTRACTED TO HINATA!"

Sakura covered her mouth right away while Naruto stared at her in shock.

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to just blurt that out!" She apologized.

"N-no it's ok...but...what do you mean I'm attracted to Hinata?"

"Look Naruto. The kind of symptoms you were describing are related to when you like someone. You know the saying "Butterflies in your stomach?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that's what you were feeling when you touched her hand."

Naruto was silent. He didn't know how to respond, but he also seemed lost in thought. Sakura looked at him for a moment before breaking the silence.

"Does it make sense now?" She asked softly.

Naruto looked at her, confusion in his eyes. She noticed it and spoke again.

"Let me guess. You're conflicted because you think you still love me, right?"

Naruto only nodded. Sakura smiled.

"Naruto, be honest. Do you really still feel that way about me? Before you answer, think about it. We've been together on the same team on a constant basis. We're practically inseparable most of the time because we spend so much time together. But, when was the last time you asked me out on a date, or flirted with me, or even confessed your undying love for me?" She chuckled a bit at that last part remember all the times he would do that when they were younger.

Naruto looked like he was about to say something, but he didn't and he looked away. He couldn't argue with her because she brought up a good point. He hadn't done any of those things in a long time. But, did that really mean he didn't love her anymore? He just didn't know. She smiled warmly at him again.

"Naruto, look. You have to face the obvious. If you still loved me, then you probably wouldn't have had that reaction you did when your hands touched. And...you saw right through my lie when I confessed to you in the Land of Iron. So...you know my feelings aren't the same. Don't get me wrong. I do love you, but...not in the way you wanted. I see you as my best friend and you're very important to me. But, you deserve better than me. And I think that you would be happier with Hinata. After all, she loves you."

Sakura immediately covered her mouth again. She completely let it slip without realizing it. But, Naruto didn't seem shocked or phased in the least. This confused her.

"Uhh...Naruto...you do know that I just said Hinata loves you...right?"

He finally spoke. "Yeah."

"You...don't seem surprised."

"I'm not. I already knew."

Sakura's jaw almost hit the ground. "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! YOU KNEW?! B-HOW!?"

"She told me."

"SHE TOLD YOU?! HINATA?! We're talking about the same girl, right?"

"I think so."

"Well when did she confess and what did you say?!"

"Back when Pein had attacked the village, he had me pinned down and I had no way of escaping. Just when he was about to finish me off, out of nowhere, Hinata came to rescue me. She said...that she was willing to risk her life to protect me. And that she loved me."

"Oh...Naruto...I had no idea...so...what did you say to her?"

"Nothing. Everything's been the same as it was since then." He said nonchalantly.

Sakura looked dumbfounded. "You mean she confessed to you and you did nothing about it?!"

"Well...I didn't know what to do." He said looking away shyly. "I didn't know what to say to her. I mean...I had never been in that situation before. I didn't know how to react."

Sakura recalled all the years Naruto was hated by the villagers and never really had a normal life. Of course he wouldn't know how to react. No girl had ever told him they loved him. The thought occurred to her that if she hadn't been told that, she would have thought she was the first girl to ever say that to him and that it was a lie. She hated herself in that brief moment. But she didn't have time to think more on it because Naruto began to speak.

"What should I do?" He asked innocently.

"Well, you have to give an answer to her feelings. There's no way she doesn't still think about it. And of course, knowing her, she wouldn't want to pressure you into an answer. That's why things have been normal between the two of you."

Naruto looked at the ground with an intense look on his face. He seemed to be trying to figure out what to do. Or maybe what to say.

"U-umm...excuse me?"

Both members of Team 7 looked to where the voice was coming from. Hinata had appeared from around the corner.

"Is Naruto-kun OK? I was beginning to worry because you were taking a bit of time. Did I interrupt anything?"

"Oh! I'm sorry, Hinata! Don't worry. Naruto's fine. There's nothing really wrong with him." She said giving her a smile.

Hinata looked visibly relieved. "Oh thank goodness! I'm so happy to hear that!" She said with enthusiasm.

Naruto looked at Hinata for a moment. He began to see her differently than he normally would. He began to think of her differently. Things started clicking in his brain and he knew Sakura was right. He knew he had to answer her feelings.

"Sorry to worry you, Hinata. I'm fine." He said with his normal enthusiasm. "Sakura-chan, thank you for your help and advice. Sorry to hold you up so long." He smiled knowingly at her.

Sakura blinked a couple of times before realizing that was her cue to leave.

"Oh uh no problem! Glad I could help! It was nice seeing you, Hinata! I'll be going now!"

"It was good to see you too, Sakura-san!"

Hinata bowed and Sakura waved goodbye to the two of them as she began walking away. When she was out of sight, she looked down at her hand and wondered if a certain someone would feel the same way if he held her hand.

* * *

Naruto and Hinata had continued their walk back to her home. Hinata was telling Naruto stories about missions that she, Kiba and Shino had gone on while Naruto and his team were away. Unlike Naruto's, Hinata and her team went on smaller missions that didn't take long to complete. Naruto was pretending to listen intently, but deep down, he was thinking about what Sakura had said and what he should do. Although, it was so sudden, he didn't know what to say. Before he knew it, they had arrived at Hinata's home. Panic was starting to set in for him. Hinata turned to him and smiled.

"Thank you very much for walking me home, Naruto-kun. It was really nice talking to you. And I'm glad there's nothing wrong with you." She said shyly while slightly fidgeting.

"Oh, no problem, Hinata. It was the least I could do after knocking you over and making drop all of your food."

Hinata chuckled a bit. "You didn't have to go to all the trouble. Like I said, it was my fault too. I'm just so scatterbrained that I don't pay attention as much as I should."

"I-I don't think you're a scatterbrain!" Naruto said out of nowhere, surprising even himself.

Hinata looked slightly shocked "O-oh...really?"

"Y-yeah. I mean uhhhyou wouldn't be such a great shinobi if you were scatterbrained!" Naruto said while chuckling nervously. _"Crap that's not what I wanted to say at all!"_ He mentally facepalmed.

"You...you think I'm a great Shinobi?" She asked quietly.

Naruto looked at her slightly taken aback. "Well yeah of course I do. I mean I think you're just as good as Neji and he's a genius. I've seen what you can do first hand and it's pretty scary how good you can be."

Hinata blushed at his praise. She didn't know what to say, but she was so happy to hear those words from him, as if it was reassuring her that all of her hard work had paid off.

"T-thank you, Naruto-kun. That really means a lot coming from you." She said giving him a genuine smile.

Seeing that smile made Naruto's heart skip a beat. He started getting that feeling he had earlier, except this time, it was a lot stronger. He knew he had to at least ask her out to talk about this now or else he probably wouldn't have the courage to later. He mentally steeled himself by taking a deep breath. He looked at her straight in the eyes and spoke.

"Hinata...umm...if you're not busy tonight...could we maybe...go out?" He asked nervously. _"Come on, Naruto! What kind of wishy washy invitation was that!? You idiot!"_

Hinata was stunned speechless. Her face went from pale to red in a matter of milliseconds. Her mind was scrambled and she didn't know what to do or say. Naruto noticed her change in demeanor.

"Hinata are you OK?! I'm sorry! Did I say something wrong!" He asked flailing his arms around in a panic.

Hearing his concern snapped her back to her senses somewhat and she was able to respond.

"N-no no you didn't say anything wrong! It's just, well I, umm, I just didn't expect you to ask me out so suddenly. What brought that on?" She managed to say.

Naruto gulped. "I've been doing some thinking and...I thought it was about time I responded to your confession. So I wanted to take you out tonight to talk."

"Huh?" was all she was able to say. It was so quiet it was almost inaudible.

A slight breeze began to flow by and it gently caressed her hair, making it sway lightly. She continued to stare at Naruto, not knowing what to say, so he spoke again.

"So...will you accept?" He asked.

Hinata remained silent momentarily, but finally was able to speak.

"Yes. I would love to, Naruto-kun."

She gave him the brightest smile he had ever seen and it was hard for him to look away. That same feeling as before grew stronger once again to the point where it was almost unbearable. Before he continued to look like a goofball, he regained his composure and smiled.

"I'm glad. I'll come pick you up around sunset. Is that OK?"

"That's perfect." She responded without hesitation.

After saying goodbye for the time being, Hinata entered her family's estate, leaving Naruto to his thoughts. He began to walk back to his apartment to get ready for the evening until he was stopped by a familiar voice.

"I'm flattered that you still think of me as a genius." The voice said.

Naruto stopped in his tracks and smiled. "Well it's the truth, Neji. I'm not the only one who thinks it."

Neji appeared in front of Naruto, smiling as well. "That may be. But seeing as how you're the first one to have ever soundly defeated me, it has special meaning coming from you."

Naruto chuckled a bit. "So I'm guessing you heard our whole conversation."

"Every word."

"I figured as much. Are you going to try and stop me?"

"Quite the opposite. However, I am here to make sure your intentions are true and pure." Neji's tone became serious. "She's loved you for a long time, Naruto. Longer than you may realize. And while I know you personally, I still have to do my due diligence as her family and make sure you do not intend to hurt her."He stared intensely at the village's hero.

Naruto stared back with equal intensity. "I respect that. And I give you my word. I don't intend to hurt her in any way. And you know when I give my word, I mean it."

Neji continued to stare for a few seconds, but then smiled. "That's all I needed to hear. I won't hold you any longer."

As Neji began to walk past Naruto, he stopped. "Make sure to look sharp tonight." And with that, he continued walking.

Naruto continued his walk home and it went generally without any interruption. A few of the villagers waved to him and said hello and thanked him again for saving them and their families. Naruto was happy, although it still felt a little odd to be thanked by the very people that scorned him not that many years ago. Still, he didn't want to think too much about that. He wanted to stay focused on his date for tonight.

* * *

 _ **After Hintata went inside**_

Hinata walked at a brisk pace through her household. Hanabi noticed her and waved.

"Hey, sis! What's...up?"

Hinata didn't even acknowledge her younger sibling and kept moving towards her room.

" _I wonder what's up with her? She wasn't like this when she left earlier." The young Hyuuga thought._

 _She shrugged and went about her business. Meanwhile, Hinata had made it to her room. She opened the doors, walked in and quickly shut them. She stood there for what seemed like hours and then finally slumped to the floor. Her eyes were replaced by swirls and she felt dizzy._

" _I'm...going on a date...with Naruto-kun...how did this happen? And so suddenly?"_

 _Hinata stood up and walked to her closet. She opened it and saw a bunch of different dresses. She stared at them and then her head sank._

" _I have no idea what to wear!" She whined._

 _She looked through her closet and started frantically throwing out dresses that she wasn't going to wear. She had thrown out most of her closet when she slumped to the ground again and was about ready to give up._

" _It's hopeless. None of these dresses are good enough to show to Naruto-kun." She layed on her back and stared at the ceiling as if hoping it had the answers to all of her problems. "What am I going to do?" She asked aloud._

 _Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Hinata, may I come in?"_

 _Hinata shot straight up. "Father? Yes, of course! Please come in!"_

 _Hinata's door slid open and her father entered. He was holding something in his arm, but it was hard to tell what it was because it was folded up._

" _Hinata, I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear you said you were going on a date with Naruto."_

" _Eh?! How did you hear that?!" She asked loudly._

" _I heard from Hanabi that you were home and that you seemed slightly off. I was worried so I came to check on you. When I was about to knock on your door, I heard you mention the date. Then it all made sense."_

" _Oh...I apologize for worrying you, Father. Are you...here to tell me I can't go?" She asked in a sad tone, thinking her father would disapprove of her going out with Naruto._

" _While any father would worry about his daughter going on a date with a boy and while I would prefer you married someone from our clan, Naruto is someone I will make a special exception for."_

 _Hinata's eyes lit up and she smiled widely. "Really, Father!? You mean it!?"_

 _Hiashi simply nodded. Hinata hugged her father tightly and thanked him. He smiled and patted her on the head._

" _I have something here for you." He said._

 _Hinata let go and looked at him quizzically. "What is it?"_

 _He unveiled the item he was holding in his arm. It was a long, beautiful, Lilac colored dress._

 _Hinata gasped. "Father, it's beautiful! Where did you get this?"_

 _Hiashi smiled warmly at his daughter. "It was your mother's. She was very fond of this dress and told me that she wanted you to have it one day when you were old enough to wear it."_

" _It was Mother's? And she wanted me to have it?"_

 _Hiashi nodded. Hinata hugged her father again. "Thank you. It's perfect."_

" _You're very welcome. I'll let you get ready."_

 _With that, Hiashi left the room. Hinata held the dress up to her body and looked at it in the mirror. It seemed like it would be a perfect fit. Hinata giggled in excitement and began to prepare for her date._

* * *

 _Naruto looked nervous and a little uncomfortable. He never really had a reason to dress up until now so he wasn't used to his attire. He was wearing a black button up shirt with black pants which had orange streaks going down the side. He tried fixing his hair but it just wouldn't cooperate so he decided to leave it the way it was. He considered wearing a tie, but it was too restricting and chocked him a bit. He figured that this would be enough._

" _Man...what's wrong with me? I've fought a bunch of strong shinobi and saved the village from Pein, but I'm getting nervous about a date? I think I have my priorities backwards." He said to himself._

 _He let out a long sigh and continued his journey to Hinata's estate. He checked his wallet and was happy to see that its stomach was full from saving up. He could take Hinata out to a nice dinner without any worries. He arrived at the Hyuuga residence just as the sun was starting to set._

" _Right on time." He thought._

 _He didn't have to wait long as Hinata emerged from her home moments later._

" _Sorry to keep you waiting, Naruto-kun!"_

 _She ran up to him and bowed. "Thank you for taking me out tonight." She said politely._

 _When Nauto didn't respond, Hinata seemed to worry a little. She looked up at his face and saw that he was awestruck. His eyes filled with wonder and amazement. Hinata seemed a little embarrassed by his staring,_

" _D-do you not like it?" She asked._

 _She was referring to the dress her father had given her earlier. When she wore it, it fell just past her knees. The dress was held on by shoulderless straps, however, Hinata had found a small, somewhat see through, black coat that went to about just before the middle of her back to go with the dress. It wasn't necessarily a form fitting dress, but, it wasn't loose or flowing either leaving just enough to the imagination. She had a deep purple sash tied around her stomach to accent the dress. She wore black, open toed high heels. Her hair was straight as it normally was and Naruto couldn't get enough of the sight in front of him. After realizing he hadn't responded to her, he spoke up._

" _Y-you look great! Uhh...very pretty." He said as he turned his head away slightly and scratched his cheek._

 _Hearing that made Hinata happy. "Thank you, Naruto-kun. And you look very handsome."_

 _For once, it was Naruto's turn to blush."Thank's Hinata. Though after seeing you, I feel a bit under dressed." He joked._

" _Oh no no! I think you look just fine!" She blurted out._

 _The two stood in silence for a couple of seconds, not sure what to say, when finally, Naruto broke the ice._

" _So, you ready to go?"_

 _Hinata smiled and nodded. The two began walking and received many approving looks from the villagers as well as some jealous ones from the ladies. Hinata seemed a little uncomfortable with the extra attention, but Naruto distracted her by talking about different things. It was a warm night with a slight breeze from time to time, making it the perfect weather to walk around. Soon, they arrived at their destination. It wasn't the fanciest restaurant, but it was nice nonetheless. As the two entered, a receptionist greeted them. She was a young woman with brown hair tied in a pony tail and she wore all black except for a red bowtie._

" _Welcome! How many will there be tonight?" She asked._

" _Just two." Naruto responded._

" _Very good. Would you like to dine indoors or on the balcony? We still have a few seats left out there if you're interested."_

 _Naruto looked at Hinata. "What do you think, Hinata?"_

" _Hmm...well it is a beautiful night. How about we sit outside?"_

 _Naruto nodded. "You got it." He turned back to the receptionist. We'll sit outside, please ."_

" _OK! Please follow me!"_

 _She took two menus and led them to their table on the balcony. The view was very nice. They weren't very high up, being they were only on the second floor, but they could still see quite a ways. The lanterns were all lit, all the shop lights were on and there were still quite a bit of people roaming the streets._

" _You're server should be with you momentarily. Enjoy your meal!" She said with a closed eye smile._

 _After she left, Naruto pulled out Hinata's chair for her to sit down. She thanked him and he joined her after pushing her into place. The two looked at the menu, each going through what they thought sounded good. It took all of Naruto's will power not to order the ramen. Hinata laughed a little after seeing the disappointed look on his face. A few moments later, their waiter came to take their order._

" _Good evening! My name is Ryo and I'll be your waiter for tonight. Have you decided what you would like?" He asked._

 _Ryo was a young man with short, spiky, black hair and he wore the same attire as the receptionist. Meanwhile, Naruto had found a loophole to his ramen dilemma._

" _Yeah, could I get the pasta and meatballs?"_

" _Of course, sir." the waiter said as he jotted down the order on his notepad. "And for you ma'am?" He asked, turning to Hinata._

" _Umm, I think I'll have the beaf stew."_

" _An excellent choice. I'll put your orders through right away and they should be ready soon." He bowed and walked back inside the restaurant._

 _Naruto and Hinata sat in silence for a while. Both knew what they really wanted to talk about. But neither could find the courage to bring it up. Finally, seeing as how they weren't getting anywhere, Naruto proposed an offer._

" _How about we just enjoy our dinner and then we can take a walk and talk about it afterward?"_

 _Hinata seemed too relax at the offer. "I think that's a great idea, Naruto-kun."_

 _They talked for a time. Hinata told Naruto about her training at home and how her father was very proud about her progress. Naruto liked to listen to her talk. Her voice was soft and delicate and he thought she looked cute when she was really into a subject. It's a side of her he had never really seen before. A few moments later, their waiter came back with their food._

" _Here we are! Your pasta and meatballs for you, sir." He said as he set the plate down in front of Naruto._

" _Thanks! It looks great!" The blonde said excitedly._

" _And for the lovely lady, the beef stew."_

" _Thank you very much, Ryo-san." Hinata said._

" _My pleasure. If there is anything else you need, please let me know."_

 _Ryo bowed and left them to their meal. Time rolled on and the two were enjoying their meal. Hinata continued her story from earlier and they talked about other subjects as well such as how their Sensei's were doing, what they do when they're not on missions and if Naruto ever planned on becoming a Chuunin after becoming the village hero. Naruto seemed to sulk at the reminded that he was still a Genin. Hinata couldn't help but laugh at the pouty face he made. Dinner went off without a hitch. Naruto paid the bill and they thanked Ryo for his excellent service. After leaving the restaurant, they knew they had to talk about what they were avoiding at dinner. They began walking around the village with no real destination in mind. There were a lot less people on the streets than when they first went to dinner. This made Hinata seem more comfortable, as she didn't want to discuss this kind of topic with a big crowd around. Naruto was equally relieved. Now he just had to bring the subject up. It wouldn't be right if Hinata was the one to do it. He's the one who asked her out in the first place. Taking a deep breath, Naruto gathered his inner strength and spoke._

" _Hinata..." He said in a deeper voice than normal._

" _Yes, Naruto-kun?"_

 _The two didn't stop walking. They continued on and Naruto was building confidence._

" _Back when Pein attacked and you came to save me, first of all, I can't thank you enough for that. If you hadn't come when you did, I could be dead right now and the whole village would probably still be gone."_

" _T-that's not true. I didn't really do much. But, you're welcome for coming to help you."_

" _But it is true! He was going to kill me right then and there if you hadn't stepped in! But...that's something we can talk about another time. Right now...Hinata...back then, when you came to help...you said that you loved me."_

 _Hinata blushed a little. "...yes I did." She said softly._

 _Naruto started to rub the back of his head. "D-do...do you still love me?" He stuttered._

 _She blushed even more now. "...yes." Was all she could say._

" _I...I see."_

 _Hinata was beginning to worry. She began to wonder if Naruto didn't feel the same. If he only brought her out to be nice and turn her down politely. All of these different thoughts kept popping into her head and she began to shake slightly. Naruto seemed to notice this. He took hold of her hand and she immediately stopped shaking and looked at him. However, he was looking away, seeming embarrassed himself. Still, this calmed her down a little bit. They walked like this in silence for a short time until Naruto decided to speak again._

" _Hinata...I..." He began._

 _This was it. Hinata braced herself for the worst, while hoping for the best. She unconsciously tightened her grip on Naruto's hand. Naruto then stopped walking causing Hinata to stop as well. They had stopped in the middle of a bridge. There was a small canal of water beneath them and the full moon could be seen reflecting in the water. Hinata stared at Naruto, notice that he looked even more handsome the way the light from the moon was hitting him. Her heart skipped a beat at her thoughts. Naruto finally spoke again._

" _I...at first, I didn't know how to respond to you. And I'm sorry. No one had ever confessed their feelings to me before. I was so used to being treated like a monster, that when someone finally said that they loved me I had no idea what to think."_

 _Hearing him say that made Hinata's heart break slightly. She knew that he was always treated horribly when he was younger and now she knew why he never responded to her feelings sooner. He had never been in that type of situation before. It wasn't his fault. Naruto continued._

" _I didn't realize it until recently, but, whenever I look at you...whenever I'm close to you...I feel differently than I used to whenever I looked at you then. I've begun to think about how beautiful you. How funny you are. How sweet you are. And how stupid and blind I was to not see it all before."_

 _Hinata's heart began to beat faster. Her eyes widened with each word. She held onto everything he said as if it were his last words to her. He continued._

" _Hinata, what I'm trying to say is...that...I think...no...I know I love you too." He said confidently, staring straight into her eyes when he said it._

 _Her knees became weak and she swore she felt her heart stop. Did he really just say what she thought he did? Her mind was racing and she began to feel dizzy again, but she kept her composure._

" _Naruto-kun...do you...really mean it?" She asked barely above a whisper._

 _He looked into her eyes and nodded. "Yeah. I do. I love you, Hinata. And I'm sorry it took me so long to say it."_

 _Hinata wrapped him in a tight hug that took him by surprise. Tears began to fall from her eyes, but they were happy tears. She was smiling and wanted nothing more than to hear him say those words again. Naruto wrapped his arms around her after he had composed himself. Holding her like that felt right to him. He smiled and gently stroked her hair. They stayed like that for what seemed like eternity to the both of them, but in reality, it had only been a couple of minutes. Hinata leaned back, but didn't let go of him. She looked into his eyes and smiled brightly. Tears still flowing from hers._

" _Thank you, Naruto-kun. You have no idea how happy I am right now. I don't think I've ever been happier in my entire life."_

 _Naruto gave her his trademark grin. The grin she loved so much. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs and she giggled._

" _I probably look terrible when I'm crying, don't I?" She joked._

" _You always look beautiful, Hinata."_

 _Hinata fully blushed at hearing that. "T-thank you, Naruto-kun."_

 _They both chuckled a bit. Naruto stared into Hinata's eyes lovingly. This is the look she's longed for him to give her for as long as she can remember. Naruto couldn't help but think about how beautiful Hinata looked in the moonlight. He couldn't help himself. He unconsciously started moving his head closer to hers. Hinata noticed what he was doing and didn't hesitate to do the same. Finally, their lips connected in a passionate kiss. Hinata wrapped her arms around his neck and Naruto moved one of his hands to her hair. They stayed like that for a long time, only finally breaking to breathe. Naruto rested his forehead on hers and stared into her eyes again._

" _I love you, Hinata." He said softly._

" _I love you too, Naruto-kun." She said sweetly._

 _They kissed again and nothing could ruin the mood for them._

* * *

 _ **miles away**_

A pair of Byakugan noticed the kiss between the blonde and the Hyuuga.

"Do you see anything, Neji?" Hiashi asked.

Neji smiled and deactivated his kekeigenkai. "No. The date is going exactly as it should be."

Hiashi still seemed worried. "Maybe I should take a look too."

"Now now. You said that, as her father, you would not peek or spy on them. I only agreed to look to confirm that Naruto was treating Hinata-sama properly."

"But-"

"You do not wish to dishonor yourself by going back on your word, do you?" Neji asked with a smirk.

Hiashi grumbled and left it alone. Neji took his leave and headed back to his own room.

" _Very smooth, Naruto Uzumaki."_ He thought to himself.

* * *

 _ **3 months later**_

Hinata was waiting near a certain restaurant. She was smiling and humming to herself while waiting for a certain someone.

"Hinata! Sorry I'm late!" The certain someone said when he finally met up with her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Hinata giggled "It's OK, Naruto-kun. I just got here not too long ago too."

He grinned at her. "So, you ready?"

She nodded and they both walked into Ichiraku's "Hey, Old Man!" Naruto yelled to the owner.

"Naruto! Hinata! Welcome! Good to see you two as always! What'll ya have?" Teuchi greeted his now _two_ favorite customers.

"You know me! I'll take the regular!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically.

"The same for me, please." Hinata said more politely,

"You got it! And everything's on the house today!"

"ALRIGHT!" Naruto yelled victoriously.

Hinata laughed and thought to herself _"There's no where I'd rather be right now than right here with him."_

 **The End**

 **A.N.: Thank you so much again for reading! I really hope you enjoyed it! I had a lot of fun writing this! Let me know what you guys think. I'm always open to criticism. It'll only help me get better. See you in the next story!**


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